The six friends gathered in a corner under the big tent on Tess and Sawyer’s ranch that evening. Randy waited for them to stop gabbing. The wedding ceremony had been touching, if hot. Sunrise Bend was scorching for early July. Tess’s father, Ken McCay, had wiped tears from his eyes after giving her away. It had been nice to see him feeling better after his cancer treatments over the winter. And now the reception was about to begin. But first...
Randy glanced at his best friends, all decked out in tuxes, and knew the time was right.
He was telling them about his heart condition. And he was telling them about Hannah. Right now.
“Before we get to celebrating, I have a couple of things to tell you.” Randy got their attention, and they moved closer, forming a circle. “I couldn’t be here yesterday because I passed out. I have a heart condition—the same one as my father—and I’ve been ignoring it for years.”
“What happened?” Blaine looked concerned.
“I’m on medications, and they made me light-headed. I’m going to work with my doctor to get them balanced so they can do their job.”
“How life-threatening is this?” Mac asked.
Randy shrugged. “If the meds do what they’re supposed to, I should be okay. There’s no cure.”
The other guys asked a few questions, and he answered them as best he could. Then he took a deep breath.
“The other thing I want to tell you is Hannah and I are dating.”
A collective whoop filled the air.
Their knowing grins had him shaking his head.
“What happened to I’m never getting married or having kids?” Blaine acted disgusted. “That changed quick.”
“When a good woman comes along...” Randy grinned. “By the way, you know Ned is a former service dog, right?” They nodded. “Well, he’s really good at alerting me whenever I’m having symptoms related to my blood pressure and heart.”
“Oh, I see,” Jet teased. “You get the girl and the dog. It’s a two-for-one.”
They all laughed.
Mac’s phone rang, and he answered it. They joked around for a minute, but they all quieted when they saw the blood drain from his face. He hung up the phone, his eyes somewhere far away, somewhere bleak.
“That was the police department in Celina. Dad and Jeanette took off for Vegas on his two-seater plane earlier. It crashed. They didn’t make it.” His knuckles grew white from gripping the cell phone.
Austin sprang into action, taking the phone from Mac’s hand and putting his arm around his shoulders.
Sawyer looked shell-shocked. “I’m sorry, Mac. I can’t believe it.”
Mac’s eyes darted back and forth, not really seeing anything.
“Did they say anything about Kaylee?” Jet asked.
The words snapped Mac out of his stupor. “She wasn’t with them. She’s staying at a friend’s house this weekend. I have to go. I have to get down to Texas.”
Randy and Blaine exchanged glances. “You need us to drive you to the airport?”
“No. I’ll have Otis take me.” Mac’s color returned. Otis was his ranch manager. “You guys enjoy the reception. Sawyer, I hate to bail on you like this—”
“You’re not. Go.” Sawyer shook his head. “And if you need anything, we’re here for you.”
Mac gave him a grim nod, then left.
The five of them stood there, staring at each other, stunned at what had just happened. Tess headed their way, her wedding gown swishing around her and a huge smile on her face. As she neared, she slowed, the smile fading.
“What’s wrong?” she asked. The bridesmaids—Erica, Reagan, Hannah, Holly and Bridget, who was Sawyer’s friend, followed behind her in pale purple dresses. Randy only had eyes for Hannah. Sawyer waited until they all gathered.
“Mac’s dad and stepmom were in an accident. He had to leave.”
“Are they going to be okay?” Erica asked.
Sawyer clenched his jaw and gave a quick shake of his head.
Gasps of horror filled the air. Randy went to Hannah and slipped his arm around her waist, kissing her temple. “Are you okay?”
She looked up at him through anguished eyes and nodded. “Poor Mac.”
Austin raised his hands. “He’s going to Texas tonight. In the meantime, we’re celebrating this wedding. There’s a time to mourn and a time to rejoice, and this—right here, right now—is a time to rejoice. If any of you need some support, you can talk to the pastor. I’ll go fill him in.”
Randy met Austin’s gaze and nodded. His brother was good at taking charge and dealing with tough situations. He wished he had trusted Austin with his health sooner. He would have handled it just fine. At least they all knew the truth about his heart now.
He squeezed Hannah’s hand.
Tonight, they’d celebrate. Tomorrow, they’d mourn.
“Come on, let’s tell my parents we’re dating.” After the meal had been served and the cake had been cut, Hannah led Randy to the center of the tent, where her parents, brothers, sisters-in-law and the kiddos were sitting at a table.
“You haven’t told them?” His eyes twinkled as he pretended to be shocked.
“Very funny. I haven’t had time. I did fill the girls in earlier. They’re very happy for us.”
He stayed close by her side. “How do you think your dad will react?”
She pulled a face and shrugged. “Michael threatened my prom date with unspeakable torture if I wasn’t home by midnight. You might want to worry about his reaction more than Dad’s.”
“That isn’t reassuring.”
They weaved around the tables, stopping to chat with friends along the way. Finally, they made it to the table. Hannah’s pulse was racing as she took in the chaos—Leann had both her toddler son, Cam, and Tess’s toddler son, Tucker, on her lap. How she managed to keep both energetic boys there, Hannah couldn’t say. Kelli, meanwhile, was pointing Rachel and Sunni in the general direction of the cake, while Mom held little Owen on her lap. Dad and Michael laughed at something, and David had turned away to talk to someone else.
“Okay, everyone.” Hannah waited until she had their attention, “I’m going to make this short and sweet. Randy and I are dating. More than dating, really. We’re—well, I love him.”
Mom set Owen on Michael’s lap and rushed to Randy with open arms. “Oh, honey, that’s the best news.”
Hannah’s jaw dropped to the floor as her mom hugged Randy before her. “Um, hello? What about me?”
Mom shifted to hug her, laughing and grinning. “I knew you were right for each other. Haven’t I been saying you need to date one of the nice cowboys around here?”
“He’s technically not a cowboy.” Hannah tilted her head.
“He was raised on a ranch.” Mom’s tone wasn’t to be argued with. She leaned in so only Hannah could hear. “He’s the one, Hannah. You’ve got yourself a good man.”
“Thanks, Mom.” They exchanged a glance full of understanding. Then Leann and Kelli were hugging her, while Michael and David stood to badger Randy and clap him on the back.
Hannah tried to hear what they were saying, but the noise level was through the roof. The next thing she knew, Randy was getting dragged by little Rachel to the dance floor. He caught Hannah’s eyes and grinned. She waved to him, laughing as her niece chattered the entire way. He’d get used to being part of a big, loud family. Eventually.
Dad stood in front of her with a stern expression. “Does he treat you right?”
“He does.” She suddenly felt like a ten-year-old.
“He’d better. If he doesn’t, he’ll have me and your brothers to contend with.” Dad locked his fingers together and cracked his knuckles. She gulped. “Don’t look so scared.” He smiled. “I’ve always liked Randy. He’s good for you.”
She threw her arms around her father. “I love you, Dad.”
“I love you, too, Hannah Banana.”
She chatted with her family until the crowd shifted and she spotted Cassie holding AJ. She went over to them.
“How is this little cutiebug?” Hannah took him from Cassie, and he gripped a teething ring in one hand and cooed to her. His plump body felt a little heavier than it had the last time she’d held him. “Oh, you’re growing up too fast.”
“He’s doing good, isn’t he?” Cassie’s face was full of affection for the boy. “Thank you, again, for telling me about the nanny position. It’s working out great. I can help Mom with Gramps in the evening and take care of AJ during the day.”
“God worked it out. Austin needed you desperately. We all did, really.”
Cassie laughed. “Well, I needed the job desperately.”
They caught up a few more minutes before Hannah kissed the top of the baby’s head and handed him back to her.
“Come here.” Randy took her hand. She hadn’t seen him come up behind her. She gave him a smile and allowed him to lead her to the dance floor.
“Where are we going?”
“They’re playing our song.”
“Our song is not ‘All My Exes Live in Texas.’ Really, Randy?” She halted.
“Not this song. The next one.” He held her hand firmly and tugged.
“It had better be good.”
“It will be.” He grinned as he pulled her onto the dance floor and into his arms. As if on cue, “When You Say Nothing At All” began to play. “See?”
Her heart filled with love for this man. She reached up and gave him a light kiss. “I stand corrected. I love you.”
“I love you, too.” He dropped his forehead to hers. “You have my heart.”
“Ned and I will keep it beating. Don’t you worry.”
He laughed. “You’d better. Now that you’re mine, I have a lot of plans for us.”
“Oh yeah? Like what?”
“Like fishing up in Montana in a few weeks. I know the best spot...”
“Such a romantic.” Her deadpan tone made him chuckle. “I have plans, too.”
“Name it and I’m in.”
“You don’t even know what I want to do.”
“If you’re there, I am, too.” And she could tell he meant it.
“In that case...” She laughed as he spun her in a circle.
“Life’s better with you, Hannah.”
She’d never tire of hearing those words.